28th May, 2017
A reactor is a physics simulation engine and be it chemical, fusion or bioreactor; it is to contain and control reactions in any medium.
It will amount to stating the obvious if I say there was an upsurge in banditry and militancy in the Niger Delta after the defeat of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and the inception of the Presidency of Muhamadu Buhari.
While many were quick to rush to the conclusion that former President Goodluck Jonathan was sympathetic to the cause of these violent agitators and either directly or indirectly sponsoring their activities.
The effect of these activities were enormous as the nation lost potential earnings and made it difficult for the government to have the much needed funds to deliver on its good governance promises due low accruals from crude oil sale.
There was a drastic drop in price of crude in the international market, and was on a free fall until some weeks ago which it witnessed a sustained arithmetic progression. This, and decline in production output brought about untold hardship and an unavoidable economic depression on Nigerians.
Let us not be unmindful that the Niger Delta has suffered severe environmental damage from oil exploration, an alarming unemployment rate with endemic poverty in the region. Sustained neglect by successive governments and the multi-national oil corporations is being perceived as grossly insensitive to the plight of the people from which they make their earnings.
This is a region with people who have endured a long history of economic and social injustice and saw the presidency of Dr.Ebele Jonathan as one which must be maximized for the upliftment of the region.
I am of the humble opinion that such upsurge was a needless violent reaction of the outcome of the polls.
The present administration had retraced its steps and have adopted a “carrot and stick” approach. There is a massive deployment of troops to the region and also there had been renewed consultation and dialogue with various stakeholders in and of the region.
In a bid to get a far reaching result, there are some individuals who I believe should be prominent actors in the scheme of things as they will serve as the much needed reactors for finding a lasting peace and solution to in the Niger Delta and its crisis.
This first actor is former President Goodluck Jonathan. It is a widely acknowledged fact that it was his visit on June 28 2007 to Okerenko, visiting the notorious Camp five, where he held a seven hours meeting with all the leaders of the militant camps in the Niger Delta. After the historic meeting, he came out of those creeks with a commitment from the militants and this paved me for the implementation of the Amnesty Program.
As a former president, he is the natural leader of the Niger Delta region and also hails from the dominant tribe of the region. It is no rocket science that his political misfortune and perceived persecution gave birth to the increased criminality as these elements were sympathetic of the fate which befell him, reaching out to this militants will surely achieve the similar result of 2007 if not better.
His enormous influence in the region and in resolution of this matter can never be overemphasized.
Another prominent actor is former governor of Rivers State; Dr. Peter Odili.
Rivers State and Delta state are the two most critical state to the stability of the Niger Delta region.
Delta State in recent years seems to be stable, the same cannot be said of Rivers state as a result of intense politicking and ego clash between Governor NyesomWike and former Governor RotimiAmeachi who is currently the Minister of Transport.
Dr. Peter Odili is one man who GovernirNyesomWike respects a whole lot. Once he can talk to Governor Wike and he(Peter Odili) can shed of partisanship for statesmanship, he will surely wield enormous influence in the region.
I am of the conviction that it is the spill over effect of the political misfortunes of former President Jonathan which is the root cause of political instability in Rivers state and upsurge in criminality and banditry.
The last lead actor is Timi Alaibe.
While as the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, he was able to build an expansive network which must be brought to bear here.
He traversed the whole region on wide consultations before coming up with the Niger Delta Development Road map. This made him amiable and influential among all and sundry.
While as the Managing Director of NDDC, Timi Alaibe grew close to a lot of people through charitable deeds, social empathy and philanthropy, which earned him a lot of goodwill.
He brought a new lease of life to the NDDC through intellectual exercises, and no just came up with a road map, but also executed action plan which brought about a drastic reduction in infrastructural deficit, promoted economic viability and environmentally sustainability of the Niger Delta region.
These three(3) men are not and will not just be actors…
They should be lead actors in the scheme of things..
They should be reactors of the peace process and repairs of the Niger Delta region.
Let these three men be actors and reactors of whatever process geared at restoring peace and stability to the Niger Delta region, the result will be astonishing.
God Bless Nigeria